A value-driven business ecosystem for industrial transformation: the case of the EU’s H2020 “Textile and Clothing Business Labs”

Abstract This article reports on the experiences and results of the European Union-funded Horizon 2020 project TCBL which has been successful in creating a European network of Textile and Clothing Business Labs aimed at the sustainable transformation of one of the most problematic industries in both social and environmental terms. The approach followed by the project was based on the diffused creation of value by and for all stakeholders, including consumers. This, in turn, implies a systemic transformation of business models, brought about by all players in the sector engaging in the experimentation of new processes and transaction patterns. In this way, all stakeholders were able to reap the benefits of innovation, and the lever of competitive advantage shifted from price to knowledge, collaboration, and shared values. In the meantime, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the business models of the luxury and fast-fashion brands for which TCBL has aimed to offer an alternative path, also loosely in line with the provisions of the European Green Deal and the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Given the results attained, a two-pronged strategy for the constitution of a sustainable post-project TCBL ecosystem is now being implemented.